Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an influx of virtual school enrollments and newly developed online programs. There is a body of research that supports online learning in higher educational settings but there is limited empirical evidence on the impact of online learning in K-12 settings, specifically with early learners. The purpose of this mixed method study was to determine if there was a difference in reading achievement of first grade students (n=62) based on their kindergarten mode of instruction as measured by the Acadience Reading Benchmarks and teacher perceptions. The researcher analyzed Reading Composite Scores (RCS) if first grade students at the beginning, middle and end of first grade. The results of this study found there was a statistically significant difference in reading achievement of first grade students who received virtual instruction during kindergarten compared to their peers who received face-to-face instruction at the beginning of first grade. There was not a statistically significant difference in reading achievement at the middle and end of first grade. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]